Scientific Name
Diretmus argenteus

Common Name
Silver spinyfin

Biology
Dorsal spines : 1; Dorsal soft rays : 25-29; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 18 - 24; Vertebrae: 27 - 29. Body black dorsally, silvery on sides. Branchiostegal rays: 7-8. Body deep, heavy, sides straight. Large adults very dark brown.

Classification

Classified By

Johnson, 1864

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Sawbellies (Beryciformes)

Family

Spinyfins (Diretmidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumglobal

Distribution

Circumglobal: In tropical to temperate waters. Eastern Atlantic: Iceland and British Isles to South Africa including Canary Islands and Ascension Island. Northwest Atlantic: Canada. Not recorded from the Mediterranean.

Range

65°N - 40°S

Environment

Climate

Deep-water

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

2000 m

Zone

bathyalpelagic

Environment

Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 2000 m , usually 500 - 700 m

Trophic Level

3.4 s.e. 0.45 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

27.6 cm

Common Length

9.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 1.0625 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of potential interest

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (18 of 100)

Resilience

Unknown

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated